The present invention relates to an electric connector and adapter arrangement for use to connect a computer peripheral apparatus to a computer and, more particularly, to such an electric connector and adapter arrangement, which requires less installation space.
Following fast development of computer technology, computers are made smaller and faster. In order to fit small dimension requirements, electric connectors must be made as thinner as possible. FIGS. 10 and 11 show a conventional electric connector and adapter arrangement for the connection of a hard diskdrive to a circuit board. According to this design, an electric adapter B is used to connect a first electric connector A to a second electric connector C. The first electric connector A has a horizontal insertion slot A1 horizontally disposed on the middle between two distal ends thereof, and two rows of terminals respectively disposed at top and bottom sides of the horizontal insertion slot A1. The electric adapter B comprises a horizontal insertion board B2 disposed at the front side for insertion into the horizontal insertion slot A1 of the first electric connector A, two rows of terminal slots B1 respectively extended through front and rear sidewalls thereof at top and bottom sides of the horizontal insertion board B2, and a plurality of terminals (not shown) respectively inserted in the terminal slots B1. The second electric connector C has two rows of terminals C1 disposed at different elevations and respectively inserted into the terminal slots B1 to contact the respective terminals of the electric adapter B. When inserted the horizontal insertion board B2 into the horizontal insertion slot A1, the terminals of the electric adapter B are respectively forced into the respective terminals of the first electric connector A. This electric connector and adapter arrangement has drawbacks. Because the terminals are arranged at different elevations, the connector and the adapter have a certain thickness (height). Further, the adapter B can only be inserted into the first connector A horizontally from the front side. This installation limits the application of the electric connector and adapter arrangement to different computers.
The present invention has been accomplished to provide an electric connector and adapter arrangement, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present invention to provide an electric connector and adapter arrangement, which requires less installation space. It is another object of the present invention to provide an electric connector and adapter arrangement, which is inexpensive to manufacture. According to one aspect of the present invention, the housing of the electric connector defines a series of terminal chambers each having a top entrance and a front entrance, and the housing of the electric adapter has a plurality of vertical insertion strips that can be inserted with the electric adapter into the terminal chambers from the top entrance or front entrance to force the terminals of the electric adapter into close contact with the terminals of the electric connector. According to another aspect of the present invention, the terminals of the electric connector and electric adapter are respectively made of metal sheet material by stamping, so that the manufacturing cost of the terminals is low.